The mighty Galileo not only finished 2014 with a sixth European sires’ championship but, according to figures compiled by the TDN, he was also the world’s top stallion of the year.

Writing in the TDN, Bill Oppenheim stated that Galileo had claimed his “third consecutive title as the TDN Leading North American and European Sire. Having won that title in 2012 and 2013 with progeny earnings of $13.4 million and $14.3 million …. Galileo set his own record this year, with progeny earnings over $18.6 million.

According to Racing Post statistics, Galileo’s progeny earned an incredible £7,193,916 – more than double any other stallion – to become the champion British and Irish Flat sire. It brought the title to Coolmore for a 27th time and it was the 25th consecutive occasion that a Coolmore stallion had taken the championship.

Highlights in 2014 included the G1 Derby success of the great Australia (3c Galileo-Ouija Board, by Cape Cross), who has joined his sire at Coolmore after also posting victories in the G1 Irish Derby and G1 Juddmonte International.

Further Classic glory came in the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas with Marvellous (3f Galileo-You’resothrilling, by Storm Cat) while Tapestry (3f Galileo-Rumpelstiltskin, by Danehill) won the G1 Yorkshire Oaks at York, beating Oaks winner Taghrooda.

Meanwhile, globetrotter Adelaide (3c Galileo-Elletelle, by Elnadim), travelled to Australia to win the G1 Cox Plate in October having landed the G1 Secretariat Stakes in Chicago in August.

Noble Mission (5h Galileo-Kind, by Danehill) took the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot along with the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, while Galileo has a fabulous Classic generation to represent him in 2015.

Found (2f Galileo-Red Evie, by Intikhab) won the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and Together Forever (2f Galileo-Green Room, by Theatrical) the G1 Fillies’ Mile while his outstanding colts include Gleneagles (2c Galileo-You’resothrilling, by Storm Cat), who won the G1 National Stakes and was disqualified from first in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.

Facile G2 Vintage Stakes scorer Highland Reel (2c Galileo-Hveger, by Danehill) and John F Kennedy (2c Galileo-Rumplestiltskin, by Danehill), an easy Leopardstown G3 victor, are others who suggest that the world’s number one sire could be in for another good year in 2015.